McGurn Media

06/15/2025

I was overwhelmed by the sheer number of people who stood shoulder to shoulder in front of Great Barrington Town Hall and along Main Street this past Saturday for the No Kings Protest. Peaceful. Defiant. Friends and strangers alike stood united against authoritarian overreach, pledging their allegiance to democracy. (If you wish, play with sound)

06/03/2025

I'm still experimenting with Google's Veo 3 and its ability to generate sound.

06/01/2025

Google's text-to-video Veo 3 now produces 8-second videos with sound, whether it be voice, music, or sound effects. To try it, I used this prompt: Macro view, low angle, following a curious beagle puppy's nose as it sniffs along a mossy patch in a sunlit green forest. The puppy looks up inquisitively at the end. Play with sound on to see if Veo captured the sound effect - sniff, crunch, and birds.

05/31/2025

On May 28, Egremont neighbors gathered for a community tour of The Prospect, now open on the shores of Prospect Lake in North Egremont. The event offered a first look at the stunning four-year transformation of this historic 150-year-old lakeside picnic and campground into a welcoming retreat for overnight guests, day visitors, and restaurant-goers alike.

Take a look through the video slideshow and experience the beauty and care that has gone into reimagining this cherished local landmark.

10/30/2024

If you're up for a Halloween thrill (or a chill), dim the lights, turn up the sound, and prepare to be haunted! Have a fang-tastic Halloween! And may all your candy be full-size bars. (Video created for French Park)

04/07/2024

A sunset, a solar eclipse tomorrow - the sun's remarkable light show

03/31/2024

Happy Easter!

03/17/2024

This weekend, I conversed with Pi, the latest AI chatbot. I enjoyed it. So, what is Pi, and why might you want to try it?

Here's a brief description to introduce you to Pi by Inflection AI.

Pi is an advanced AI chatbot distinguished by its emotional intelligence and personal touch. It was named after its goal to be a Personal Intelligence assistant. Unlike other chatbots, such as those from OpenAI, Microsoft, and Google, Pi is designed to offer information with real-time web search capabilities and connect on a more personal level, offering empathy and tailored advice. You might be surprised by its warm, engaging personality, as its goal is to be more of a personal companion than a mere tool.

Try Pi here: https://pi.ai/onboarding

It's delightfully easy to use; you don't need an account for your first conversation with Pi.

03/08/2024

News you might have missed. Those who have realized that their sentence ends with a preposition and suffered the grammar guilt in letting it stay, the times are changing, and so are the rules! According to the venerable guardians of the English language at Merriam-Webster, ending a sentence with a preposition is no longer a grammatical sin we're doomed to atone for.

02/29/2024

In a world that spins and twirls in space,
There comes a year with an extra day.
With twenty-eight days, February is short and sweet,
But every leap year, it gets a treat.
"Why this bonus?" you might inquire,
It's to keep our calendars from catching fire!
So, celebrate with joy and cheer,
Leap Year's Extra Day is here!

02/17/2024

Heining, the acknowledged master of the grand balloon and confetti releases across the US, started at 15 by tying balloons at Disneyland.

This 12-minute documentary follows Heining at the end of 2021 in the days leading up to his most iconic annual job: releasing by hand 3,000 pounds of colorful, biodegradable paper confetti over Times Square in New York City as the clock strikes the start of a new year. Watching Heining share his life's choice and the emotional exuberance portrayed in the confetti throw makes for many feel-good moments.

Before the clock strikes on new year’s day, meet the man who made it his life’s work to create singular celebratory moments